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96 South Main Street, PO Box 77, Nephi, Utah 84648 - Voice: 435 623-0525 - FAX: 435 623-4735 On our front page this week October 12, 2022 |
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GROUNDBREAKING • A groundbreaking ceremony was held on October 4th for the Jenson Refrigeration Cold Storage facility to be built south of Owens Corning. By Myrna Trauntvein It was a day of celebration for the Jenson Refrigeration family as they broke ground for a facility to be built on the south end of Nephi just to the south of the Owens Corning plant. Master of Ceremonies at the event was Jenica Jenson Olsen, Director of Business Development and Marketing. Jaks Olsen, Vice President, introduced the distinguished guests. Speakers were: Justin Seely, Nephi City Mayor; Jenna Draper, Six County Association of Governments, and Brent Boswell, Juab County Economic Development Director. Justin Jenson, Owner and President, introduced the Jenson companies, and Ken Jenson, Founder and CEO, addressed the community relationship with Jenson Cold Storage. Also present from the Jenson family were: Julie Jenson, Founder and CFO, Miranda Jenson, Consultant, and the eight young Jenson children. “Thirty-five years ago, I was born into a hard working family,” said Jenica Olsen. She said that her parents were risk takers and had the theme: “You must make the choice, to take the chance, to see the change.” Boswell said that had not Clinton Painter, commissioner, been at another meeting he would likely have been the speaker. He said the company had been working to come to Nephi for at least two years and it had been painful for them. “They went through Covid problems, a supply chain shortage, inflation and now high interest rates,” said Boswell. “They are an example of how to go through tough times and succeed.” He said he appreciated so many from the state coming to attend the groundbreaking. The Jenson family had Nephi roots, he said. “I am impressed that they are already doing work on the site.” Draper said that the first time she had visited a Jenson facility, she and other visitors were welcomed with their names posted on the door and by being greeted by friendly employees. She found them to be very welcoming and very dedicated. “They will be able to provide cold storage for meat and cheese products instead of farmers having to ship them out of state,” she said. That would be a great aid to local ranchers and dairy owners. Seely said the family business began with two people and four children and was now well known and had a strong market share. “We could not ask for a better day,” said Seely. “We have blue sky and balmy weather.” He said that Ken and Julie Jenson began the business that had expanded into what it was today. It started with Ken Jenson working with supermarkets and helping with freezers and cold storage repairs. Since the establishment of Jenson Refrigeration Inc. in 1990, the company had expanded far beyond the refrigeration industry to include the installation, maintenance and repair of HVAC and kitchen equipment, as well as electrical, lighting, sign and crane services. “This is near his father’s farm location in Nephi,” said Seely. “Ken Jenson has had a vision for so many years and dreams of locating in Nephi.” “Back several years ago,” said Ken Jenson, “we were trying to farm this area to provide a bushel of grain.” Cliff Jenson, his father, originally purchased farm land in Nephi when he [Ken Jenson] was 14 years old. Mother Nature was seldom kind, he said, but his father taught him that there was nothing that could not be accomplished with work and diligence. “Everything we do always seems to be the hardest thing we have ever done,” said Ken Jenson. One gentleman made a phone call and that had been a great benefit in helping them with this project. He said the Nephi plant would be the site of a cold storage and refrigerated facility. Phase one would be 1,800 feet long by 400 feet deep and there would be other phases. They would start with 10 full-time jobs but would be able to run two shifts of 100 workers each. They would also have 30 long-haul truckers. “We will have a training center here,” said Ken Jenson. “I am excited about young individuals training.” They would learn to perform electrical jobs, digital control, and any one of the team members, once trained, could go anywhere and write their own contract, he said. He said he would like to thank all who had helped get the project underway and all those who were in attendance. Justin Jenson said he would also like to thank Seth Atkinson, Nephi City’s Administrator. “Seth has been working with us for over two years when we began the discussion of brining a cold storage facility to Nephi,” he said. “Seth assisted us to secure the land, pull permits, and begin construction.” “Thanks to Boyd Martin Construction,” said Justin Jenson. “This is our second construction project with Boyd and his team and they have played an integral part to make this dream become a reality.” They also wanted to thank Cache Valley Bank for funding the project. “Thanks to Juab County Economic Development Director, Brent Boswell, who has been a wealth of knowledge and an incredible resource to find out exactly how we can meet the needs of the community with our facility and work together with the city and county to accomplish common goals, such as providing vocational training, high-paying jobs and additional benefits,” he said. He also thanked Jenna Draper with Six Counties Association of Governments and Utah State Senator Derrin Owens, a Liaison for Economic Development, Chris Coombs as the Community Liaison for Senator Mike Lee, Daniel Royal from the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development. “Thanks also to Machelle ‘Shelley’ Terry, the wife to the late Paul Terry with Paul Terry Trucking, and a company that we anticipate working heavily with to move freight in and out of our facility,” he said. He said they wanted to also thank former Nephi mayor, Glade R. Nielson, for his work in helping them start the process of locating in Nephi. | ||
